Embassy of France in the US - Customs & Excise

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CUSTOMS OFFICE

Informations en français The French customs & excise service

Information for private individuals Informations for traders

World customs organization / Organisation mondiale des douanes Enter the European market

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ENTER THE EUROPEAN MARKET
Free Movement in the Internal Market

ABOLITION OF FRONTIERS BETWEEN THE 25 MEMBER STATES

There is free movement of capital and goods within the Eurpean Community. The abolition of frontiers between Member States has created an internal market of over 450 millions consumers.

Indeed since 2004, the European Community has been composed of 25 member states.

The 25 Member States are:

Austria - Belgium - Cyprus - Czech Republic - Denmark - Estonia - Finland - France - Germany - Greece - Hungary - Ireland - Italy - Latvia - Lithuania - Luxembourg - Malta - Netherlands - Poland - Portugal - Slovakia - Slovenia - Spain - Sweden - United Kingdom

FREEDOM TO CHOOSE THE POINT OF CUSTOMS CLEARANCE

Companies established in the European Community may import non-Community goods by any point of entry into Community Territory. They may clear goods through Customs :

at the frontier

at the good's final destination, owing to the procedure for transit between the Community entry point and the site where the goods are to be used or marketed.

Goods of non-member-country origin cleared through Customs in a member State are said to be "Communitised". They may then move freely within the Community on the same basis as goods of Community Origin.
Export goods should use a Community exit point in the country where the exporter is established. However, exemptions may be granted on economic grounds.
REDUCED AND SIMPLIFIED FORMALITIES
The few remaining formalities for trade between Member States have been harmonized and consist in :

filling a monthly Trade Declaration

paying Valus Added Tax on Community goods acquired under the same conditions as goods bought on the french Market.

Embassy of France in the US - June 7, 2005